In aircraft, cable shields are used to protect various aircraft systems from electrical effects, such as lightning strikes, high intensity radiated fields, and other environmental conditions. A loop resistance tester may be used to test the cable shields and joints in aircraft systems. In general, a cable shield includes material that covers a number of wires in a cable. A cable shield may protect the wire(s) from physical contact and/or from interference caused by electromagnetic fields or signals. A joint is a connection in which a cable may be connected to another cable and/or device. A loop resistance tester is an electronic instrument or device that is used to measure the resistance of cable shields and joints.
Typically, a loop resistance tester contains couplers, joint probes, and an instrument assembly. The couplers are used to measure a loop resistance formed by the shielding in the cable under test and the aircraft structure. The joint probes are used to measure the resistance of joints in the cable to ensure measured values are within designed tolerance and to compare the sum of joint impedances to the loop measurement, which includes all of the individual joints within the loop.
Many known loop resistance testers are bulky and heavy. For example, a known loop resistance tester weighs in excess of thirty pounds. Further, known loop resistance testers are limited to particular pre-programmed functions, and are often difficult to update. Also, modifications to known loop resistance testers are costly.
Accordingly, a need exists for an adaptable, efficient, and cost-effective system and method for testing and troubleshooting in relation to components.